Operator for opening and closing windows



A. W. AHLGREN OPERATOR FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOWS March 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1956 WQM March 1, 1960 A. w. AHLGREN 2,926,905

OPERATOR FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOWS Filed July 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 u Q IIIIIIIIIII 11111111 1 (fl 1 @fhl v 4 4021/ m,

March 1, 1960 A. w. AHLGREN OPERATOR FOR OPENING AND CLOSING wmnows 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 18, 1956 Qfixel -QRZ\I v'em 17 w g fliJ QF f-INIQY/ United States Patent OPERATOR FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOWS Axel W. Ahlgren, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Amer-och Corporation, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 18, 1956, Serial No. 598,637

1 Claim. (Cl. 268-105) This invention relates to window operators such as may be used for awning type windows in which the sash is mounted on the window frame to swing about the horizontal axis extending along the upper edge of the sash. More particularly, the invention relates to an operator withtwo horizontal aims pivotally mounted on the frame to swing together and apart and connected to the lower edge of the sash to open and close the latter upon such swinging. The arms are swung by turning a handle connected to the arms through gearing. The handle may be disposed at an angle, such as 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal so that the handle does not project a great distance beyondthe window frame but still is accessible.

One object of the invention is to incorporate in an operator of the above character a novel arrangement of gearing which provides identical gear trains to each arm so that the effective backlash will be the same on both and which still permits the handle to be disposed at. an angle.

Another object is to construct and arrange the gearing in a novel manner so that the operator may be assembled quickly and easily while still being rugged and durable inservice use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1.. is a fragmentary perspective view of a window incorporating the operator of the present invention.

Fig. 2*is a fragmentary'perspective view with the parts in a different position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5. is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of part of the gearing.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of another part of the gearing.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom cover plate for the operator.

For purposes of illustration, the invention is shown in the drawings embodied in an operator 10 for opening and closing the sash 11 of an awning type window. As is well known in the art, the sash is pivotally mounted on the frame of the window to swing about a horizontal axis extending along the upper edge of the sash so that the lower edge may be moved toward and away from the sill 12 of the window frame.

The operator 10 includes a pair of elongated horizontal arms 13 whose outer ends are connected to the lower edge of the sash 11, the inner ends being pivotally connected to a casing 14 which is fastened to the sill 12. The connection between each arm and the sash comprises a horizontal cylindrical shoe 15 (Fig. 2) which is received in a downwardly opening channel 16 which is of semicircular cross section and which extends across the width of the sash. The shoes are attached to brackets 17 which are pivotally mounted on the outer ends of the arms so that the shoes may slide back and forth in the channel 16 as the arms are swung together and apart.

When the arms are swung together as shown in Fig. 1, the sash is swung open and the sash is drawn closed when the arms are swung apart as illustrated in Fig. 2. A handle it; is mounted on the casing 1-4 and, through gearing 19 (Fig. 3), is connected to the arms to swing the latter in unison but in opposite directions. The handle is disposed at an angle, herein a 45 degree angle, with respect to the horizontal so that it is accessible but still does not project a great distance beyond the inner edge of the sill 12.

The present invention contemplates constructing and arranging the gearing 19 in a novel manner so asto include identical gear trains to both of the arms 13 so that there is no difference in the backlash in the two trains whereby both arms operate equally eifectively. This result is achieved even though the handle 18 is disposed at an angle to the horizontal. in addition, the gearing 19 isarranged for quick and easy assembly and still it is rugged and durable in service use. To the foregoing ends, the gearing includes a horizontal worm 20 journaled within the casing 14- in spaced bearings 21 and 22 and carrying a bevel gear 23 on an extension 24 (Fig. 6) on its inner end. The bevel gear 23 meshes with a second bevel gear 25 journaled in the casing and connected to the handle 18 so that the latter turns the worm. Arcuate gears 26 are fastened to the inner ends of the arms 13 and are disposed on opposite sides of the worm to mesh with the latter so that, as the worm is turned, the arms are swung in opposite directions about their respective pivots.

in the present instance, the casing 14 includes a cast cover element 27 which is formed with. a. downturned flange 25 extending along the inner edge and the side edges of the cover. The flange stops short of the outer edge as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Integrally formed with the cover is a vertical post 29 (Figs. 3 and 4) which projects downwardly from the center portion of the front edge of the cover. The casing is closed by a bottom plate 30 which is stamped from sheet metal and is held to the cover by bolts 3-1 (Fig. 5) which extend down through the cover in the plate and are threaded into nuts 32. The plate is located properly relative to the cover by hollow cylindrical bosses 33 projecting downwardly from the inner corner portions of the cover and by an ear 34 on the underside of the post 29. The ear projects through a matched slot 35 in the plate (see Fig. 8) and the reduced lower end portions of the bosses are received in holes 36 in the plate 30 (Fig. 5).

As shown in Fig. 5, the contour of the bottom plate 30 generally matches the contour of the sill 12 so that the casing rests firmly on the latter. To secure the operator in place, screws 37 project down through the bosses 33 and are threaded into the sill.

Formed on the inner side of the post 29 is a vertical slot 38 (Fig. 3) whose lower end is open to receive the front bearing 21, the latter being in the form of a small block fitted in the slot and having a central hole 39 (Fig. 6) to receive the rounded forward end portion 40 of the worm 20. Alined with the post and disposed near the front or" the cover 27 is a downwardly opening recess 41 (Fig. 4) which receives the upper end portion of the inner bearing 22. This bearing also is in the form of a small block having a central opening 42 for the cylindrical inner end portion 43 of the worm gear. Both bearings project down into slots 44 in the bottom plate 30. The slots 44 together with the slot 38 and the recess 41 hold the bearings against turning relative to the cover 27. Washers 45 (Fig. 4) are interposed between the ends of the Worm and the bearings.

The cover 27 is formed with a boss 46 which projects inwardly and upwardly at a 45 degree angle from the inner edge of the cover. A hollow shaft 47 (Fig. 4) is journaled in this boss with its axis a projecting downwardly and forwardly and intersecting the axis [1 of the worm 20 at a point behind the inner bearing 22. The bore 48 of the shaft has a hexagonal shape and receives a cornplementally shaped shaft 49 which is rigid with and projects at right angles from one end of a crank 50, the handle 18 being on the other end of the crank. Thus, turning the handle turns the hollow shaft 47 through the crank 50 and the shaft 49.

To connect the handle 18 to the worm 25?, the bevel gear 25 is fast on the lower end of the hollow shaft 47 and meshes with the bevel gear 23 on the extension 24 (Fig. 6) on the inner end of the worm. The extension 24 projects inwardly beyond the bearing 22 and has flats on its sides and fits into a similarly shaped hole 51 in the bevel gear 23 so that this gear turns the worm. The two gears 23 and 25 are formed with 22%. degree bevels to permit the axis a of the hollow shaft 47 to be disposed at a 45 degree angle with respect to the axis 12 of the worm 20.

On either side of the worm 20, a short cylindrical boss 52 projects downwardly from the inner side of the cover 27 and on each boss is fitted a cylindrical bearing 53 (Fig. The inner ends of the arms 13 are enlarged as indicated at 54 and the enlarged end portions are formed with holes 55 (Fig. 7) which are received on the reduced central portions 5 6 of the bearings. The lower ends 57 of the bearings are reduced further and project into holes 58 in the bottom plate 30. A washer 58 is interposed between each sector gear 13 and the bottom plate. The bearings have bores 59 through which the bolts 31 extend and thus these bolts clamp the bearings between the cover and the bottom plate. In this way, the arms 13 are mounted to turn about the axes of the bearings.

The enlarged portion 54 of each arm fits into a mating recess 6!) on the side of one of the arcuate gears 26. The latter are sector gears and extend through approximately 180 degrees. The sector gears are riveted to the enlarged portions 54 of the arms and mesh with the worm 26 on opposite sides thereof. The sector gears complete the connection between the handle 18 and the arms. This connection extends through the crank 50, the hollow shaft 47, the bevel gears 25 and 23, the worm 20 and the sector gears 26. Thus, by turning the handle, the arms are swung in unison but in opposite directions.

It will be observed that the operator may be assembled easily and quickly. The cover 27 is placed upside down and the hollow shaft 47 with the bevel gear 25 attached is inserted into the boss 46. Then the bearing blocks 21 and 22 are slipped onto the end portions 40 and 43 of the worm and the bevel gear 23 is placed on the extension 24 after which this entire subassembly is simply dropped into 4 place with the bearing block 21 sliding into the slot 38 and the bearing block 22 dropping into the recess 41. The cylindrical bearings 53 then are placed on the bosses 52 and the arms 13 with the sector gears 26 attached are placed on these hearings. Next, the bottom plate 30 is placed in position, it being located by the bosses 33 and the ear 34 and the cover and plate are clamped together by the bolts 31 and nuts 32. Finally, the shaft 49 on the crank 50 is slipped into the hollow shaft .47 and is held in place by a snap ring 61. In spite of this simple assembly, the operator is rugged and capable of standing up under the comparatively large forces applied to it during the opening and closing of the sash 11. This result is achieved because the thrust on the worm 20 is taken up by relatively sturdy parts, namely, the post 29 and the boss 46 which are integral parts of the cover casting 27.

I claim as my invention:

An operator for a swinging sash comprising a cover adapted to be secured to the sill of the window frame and having a downturned flange along its rear edge and a cente post projecting downwardly from its front edge, said post having a vertical groove opening inwardly of the cover, a recess in said cover alined with and spaced inwardly from said groove, first and second bearings received in said groove and said recess respectively and held against turning relative to said casing, a worm disposed between and having end portions journaled in said bearings, arcuate gears disposed on opposite sides of said worm to mesh with the latter and journaled in said cover to turn in unison but in opposite directions upon turning of the worm, two arms, one secured to each of said arcuate gears, said arms projecting outwardly of said cover on opposite sides of said post, means for connecting said arms to the window sash, an extension on the inner end of said worm projecting beyond said second bearing, a shaft journaled on said cover with its axis disposed at an angle relative to said worm and intersecting the axis of the worm at a point behind said second bearing, bevel gears on said shaft and said extension and meshing with each other, a plate attached to the underside of said cover and enclosing said gears, said cover having a shoulder abutting the back of the bevel gear on said shaft whereby the other bevel gear and the shoulder hold the shaft against axial movement and a handle connected to said shaft to turn the latter thereby to turn said worm and swing said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,476 Rund Apr. 24, 1934 2,022,036 Haberstump Nov. 26, 1935 2,373,197 Ostrander Apr. 10, 1945 2,635,485 Gravenstine et a1 Apr. 21, 1953 2,674,452. Hummert Apr. 6, 1954 2,767,979 Hummert Oct. 23, 1956 

